The Cotton District Arts Festival showcases local artists, musicians and much more to the Starkville community on Saturday. Located in the historic Cotton District, the festival celebrates music, dance, literature and food.
Robin Fant, president of the Starkville Arts Council, has been involved with the Cotton District Arts Festival for over 18 years. Fant said he enjoys the fun of the festival, and there is something for everyone to do. He said this year’s turnout is expected to be much bigger than last year’s.
“It should be up a good bit from last year. With it coinciding with Super Bulldog Weekend, I imagine there will probably be around 35,000 to 40,000 people hitting the streets,” Fant said.
This year features new and old events, including a songwriter’s concert, artisan booths and a poetry slam.
“In the songwriters contest this year, we had three winners that were outstanding,” Fant said. “There will be three different stages with different performers. There is also a total children’s area where the kids can do a lot of everything. You can try a bunch of different foods from local restaurants at the Taste of Starkville event. We have the juried art part of it that will be in the Visual Arts building. Also, there will be a 5K run that starts at 8 a.m.”
At the CVB Main Stage, performances from Cedar Creek Ramblers, Jesse Robinson & the Hip Waders, The Flames, Nash Street and Charlie Worsham will be held.
The TVA Rockin’ Stage will have performances from Alex Holliman, Kanna Wermz, Jordyn Mallory, the Lane Chapel Quintet and Musical Malpractice.
Performances from Starkville High School, Mary Kate, Maureen and Lauren Hughes, Chase Sansing and poetry slam competitors will take place at the Metrocast Local Stage.
Molly Simpkins, junior fine arts major, is participating in the festival’s artisan village for the second time this year. She will be selling handcrafted items intended for practical use.
“I’m selling hand-made journals and some woodworking items like Mississippi-shaped boxes. I’m also selling carved linoleum block prints,” she said.
Simpkins said the festival is an outlet to be creative.
“I think it is a good opportunity to go see all the different ways people get creative,” she said. “There are so many kinds of booths. Since everyone is different there, they express their creativity in different ways, so it is really interesting to look and see how everybody expresses themselves.”
Jennifer Gregory, chief operating officer and vice president of tourism development of  Greater Starkville Development Partnership, said the festival hugely impacts Starkville’s economy.
“The festival is a well-known event because it is a top-25 event in the Southeastern Tourism Society. Based on the figures from the Arts Council, people come from all over the southeast,” she said. “When we combine it with Super Bulldog Weekend, our population doubles.”
Gregory said Starkville’s tourism success depends on spending in the community during the festival and Super Bulldog Weekend.
“When 40,000 visitors come to the community, hotels and restaurants are maxed out, and retailers will see great sales,” he said. “The Festival is an opportunity to showcase Starkville and to encourage visitors to come back.”
Fant said the goal of the festival is to improve life in Starkville.
“One of the biggest things that the festival started was celebrating art and the different fashions like music, food, culinary arts, painting and dance,” he said. “It covers everything. The biggest thing to me is also it helps increase the quality of life in Starkville for both students and Starkville citizens.”